The Damned

Key takeaways

Use this mission to prepare for a hostile Dogtown approach and a story conversation in which the risks of Songbird’s cybernetic condition become clearer.

• Stay with Reed Reed is the mission’s partner and guide. Follow his prompts during the approach rather than moving too far ahead, since the objective changes as he reaches the hideout.
• Choose stealth or combat The route to Slider’s location can be handled according to V’s build. Hacking, silent takedowns, and direct gunplay are all practical ways to deal with the hostile presence around the hideout.
• The Blackwall matters Slider’s work is not a routine trace. The mission establishes that Songbird’s contact with the Blackwall creates serious danger for anyone attempting to follow her digital trail.
• Expect a story-focused ending The most important outcome of The Damned is narrative information rather than a conventional boss reward. Finish the conversation and follow the next objective to continue Phantom Liberty.

The Damned

The Damned is a main story mission in Cyberpunk 2077: Phantom Liberty that brings V and Solomon Reed to Slider, a netrunner whose expertise may help them track Songbird.

The mission follows the early Phantom Liberty investigation into Songbird. After the events of Lucretia My Reflection, Reed needs a specialist who can examine the digital trail surrounding Songbird without relying on the official channels controlled by the NUSA or Dogtown’s authorities. That specialist is Slider, a netrunner operating in Dogtown.

V’s immediate task is straightforward but potentially dangerous: meet Reed, travel with him to Slider’s hideout, and secure the netrunner’s cooperation. The route leads through a hostile section of Dogtown, so the mission combines conversation, infiltration, and combat rather than functioning as a purely dialogue-driven story step. The exact approach is left to the player’s build and preferred play style.

The central tension comes from the information Slider uncovers. Songbird’s connection to the Blackwall makes any attempt to access her systems hazardous, and the mission demonstrates that pursuing her is dangerous even for experienced netrunners. The Damned therefore serves as both an investigation chapter and a warning about the technological forces involved in Phantom Liberty’s central conflict.

Where this sits

Requirements

The mission becomes available through Phantom Liberty’s main story after the preceding investigation with Reed.

• RequiredPhantom Liberty accessThe Phantom Liberty expansion and its Dogtown story content are required.
• RequiredComplete Lucretia My ReflectionThe Damned follows the story developments of Lucretia My Reflection.
• RecommendedCombat or infiltration readinessBring a loadout suited to hostile encounters in Dogtown. There is no single required build, but healing items, ammunition, quickhacks, and a weapon suited to close quarters are useful.
• OptionalManual save before meeting ReedA save is useful if you want to test a different way through the hostile approach or revisit the dialogue without replaying earlier story content.

Objectives

1. Meet Reed at the basketball courtBegin the mission by going to the meeting point and speaking with Solomon Reed.
2. Travel with Reed to Slider’s hideoutFollow Reed through Dogtown to the location where Slider is operating.
3. Find a way into the hideoutReach the interior by dealing with the hostile security presence through stealth, hacking, or combat.
4. Talk to SliderComplete the conversation with the netrunner and explain why V and Reed need his help.
5. Assist with the traceRemain with Slider while he examines the connection to Songbird and the Blackwall.
6. Leave the hideoutAfter the story sequence concludes, follow the updated objective to exit and continue the Phantom Liberty investigation.

Walkthrough

1. 01

   Meet Reed at the basketball court

   Meet Reed at the basketball court

   Go to the marked basketball court in Dogtown and speak with Solomon Reed to start the operation. Let Reed finish outlining the plan before leaving, because the mission’s next objective is granted through this conversation.

   Location: Dogtown basketball court

   TipUse the objective marker rather than assuming that every nearby Dogtown entrance leads to the meeting point.

   Checkpoint
2. 02

   Follow Reed

   Follow Reed to Slider’s location

   Travel with Reed toward the hideout where Slider is working. The route is intended to establish the mission’s direction, so stay close enough for his dialogue and wait if he stops at a gate, entrance, or combat area.

   Location: Dogtown streets

3. 03

   Find a way into the hideout

   Approach the hideout carefully

   The area around Slider’s hideout is occupied by hostile forces. Scout the approach if your build supports reconnaissance, then decide whether to bypass enemies with stealth and quickhacks or clear the route directly; rushing ahead can separate V from Reed and make the encounter harder to read.

   Location: Outside Slider’s hideout

   TipLook for cover and alternate access routes before starting a loud fight. A quiet approach preserves health and ammunition for the interior.

   Watch outDo not leave the mission area while searching for an entrance. The objective is tied to the hideout, not to clearing every hostile in the surrounding district.

4. 04

   Find a way into the hideout

   Enter the hideout

   Push through the accessible entrance and continue toward the interior objective. Deal with guards only when they block the route, and check corners and side rooms for terminals, cover, and supplies before moving deeper.

   Location: Slider’s hideout

   TipHacking cameras or nearby devices can reduce the chance of being surrounded when the interior fight begins.

   Checkpoint
5. 05

   Talk to Slider

   Meet Slider

   Locate Slider inside the hideout and begin the conversation with him. The dialogue establishes why Reed needs a netrunner and why Songbird’s condition makes the trace substantially more dangerous than an ordinary search.

   Location: Slider’s hideout interior

6. 06

   Assist Slider

   Let Slider investigate Songbird’s connection

   Remain in the hideout while Slider performs the trace. This is primarily a scripted story sequence, so do not treat the waiting period as a prompt to leave or search for a separate combat objective.

   Location: Slider’s workstation

7. 07

   Assist with the trace

   Respond to the danger around the trace

   The trace brings the Blackwall and Songbird’s compromised digital state into the mission’s immediate focus. Follow the on-screen prompts and dialogue until the sequence resolves; the important progression comes from completing the scene rather than finding a hidden alternate interface.

   Location: Slider’s workstation

   Watch outThis sequence contains major story information about Songbird and the risks of the Blackwall. Continue only if you are comfortable with Phantom Liberty spoilers.

8. 08

   Leave the hideout

   Leave and continue the investigation

   Once the conversation and trace sequence are over, follow the updated marker out of the hideout and return to the mission path. The Damned concludes after the required story beats are complete, leading into the next stage of V and Reed’s search.

   Location: Dogtown

   Checkpoint

Mission mechanics

The approach to Slider’s hideout is the mission’s main playable challenge. Dogtown’s tight spaces reward checking sightlines before committing to a route, and V can use the usual Cyberpunk 2077 toolkit: weapons, stealth, quickhacks, and environmental cover. The mission does not require a particular cyberware setup, so the best route depends on whether V is built for netrunning, silent infiltration, close-range fighting, or open combat.

The hideout sequence then changes pace from traversal to a controlled story investigation. Slider’s role is not simply to provide a location; he examines Songbird’s network connection and exposes the danger associated with reaching beyond ordinary cyberspace. Pay attention to the dialogue because this scene supplies context that later Phantom Liberty missions build upon.

There is no need to eliminate every hostile in the surrounding area once the route is open. Focus on reaching the objective, preserving healing and ammunition, and remaining near Reed during transitions. Exploration outside the marked route can be postponed until the mission is complete.

What works and what does not

Phases

1. 1

   Dogtown approach

   Starts: After Reed leaves the basketball court and leads V toward Slider’s hideout.

   V and Reed move through a hostile section of Dogtown before reaching the hideout. The encounter is flexible rather than a fixed arena battle.

   • Ranged fireTell Hostiles raise their weapons and hold sightlines across the approach.Answer Use cover, break line of sight, or disable surveillance before returning fire.
   • Close-range pressureTell Enemies push toward V when the approach becomes loud.Answer Fall back toward cover and avoid being surrounded in narrow passages.
   • Stay near Reed during the transition between streets and the hideout.
   • Do not spend resources clearing enemies that are not blocking the objective.
2. 2

   Hideout entry

   Starts: When V reaches the access point and begins moving inside.

   The interior creates shorter sightlines and makes a careless loud entry more dangerous. Advance room by room and use hacks or stealth to reduce the number of simultaneous threats.

   • Security responseTell The area becomes hostile when guards detect V or a fight begins.Answer Disable cameras, use cover, and move through the entrance only after checking the nearest angles.
   • Search for usable devices before exposing yourself in a corridor.
   • Keep healing available for the interior rather than spending it during the approach.
3. 3

   Slider’s trace

   Starts: After V reaches Slider and the conversation begins.

   The mission shifts into a story sequence focused on Songbird’s connection and the Blackwall. There is no conventional combat phase to master here.

   • Listen to the conversation if you want the clearest context for the later investigation.
   • Follow the objective after the trace instead of treating the workstation as an optional interaction.

Failure conditions

• V dies during the approach or hideout entryReload the latest checkpoint or save and repeat the route using more cover, a quieter approach, or a different combat plan.
• V moves too far away from the mission routeReturn to Reed and the marked objective. Wandering through Dogtown does not advance the investigation and can interrupt companion dialogue.
• V leaves the active mission areaReturn to the hideout marker before the objective resets or the game prompts a reload.

Characters in this mission

• VThe player character carrying out the investigation.
• Solomon ReedV’s NUSA-aligned partner and guide during the operation.
• SongbirdThe target of the investigation and the source of the mission’s central danger.

AftermathSpoilers

Trivia

• The mission’s title reflects the increasingly dangerous position of V, Reed, and Songbird as the investigation moves beyond ordinary intelligence work.
• The Damned is one of the early Phantom Liberty missions that establishes Dogtown’s netrunning and intelligence networks as central parts of the expansion’s conflict.
• Slider’s role connects the mission’s grounded search for information with the larger cyberpunk idea that the most dangerous threats may be found in cyberspace rather than on the street.

Relationships